I doubt this is news to anybody now, since I meant to publish this when it happened, but as you can read from the title, noted and prolific authors Robert Jordan and Madeleine L'engle both passed away recently. I haven't reviewed any of their books here, but I have read plenty of both and I lament their passing. As much as I've criticized Jordan for the monstrous bloatedness of his Wheel of Time series, at least in the beginning it was one of the few fantasy series I actually thought was worth reading (keep in mind I'm a fantasy lover, have been since I read Tolkien at age 11). I'm no fan of RA Salvatore (sorry, mom) and I think George R.R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice went nowhere fast. Robert Jordan may have jumped the shark around book six of his series, but even after that he was a better read than most other authors out there (even than Stephen King's fantasy series, at some points).
I must say L'engle had a profound impact on me when I was younger. "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" was, I thought and still think, one of the most original pieces of fiction I'd ever read. And readable, which is no small feat. So much fantasy and science fiction is derivative these days it's hard to pick up a book without thinking "Oh, that was done first in such and such book" or "Man, that's like three books I've read rolled into one". Not that all the good books have been written, but without going into details the publishing industry seems to be making less and less room for new, original writers whose audiences may never be huge. L'engle probably wouldn't have broken in if she had to start now!
You always must feel some loss when an author or artist you love dies. It's natural. But the fact that we didn't get more of their books to read (or music, or art) should not distract us from the beauty of that which they have given us. And after all, no matter how much they wrote it would never be enough.
PS. I learned later that Fred Saberhagen died recently as well. All I can say is, "damn".
